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Cherepanov, Anisimov Highlight Team Russia Roster

by
Staff Writer
/ New York Rangers

Alexei Cherepanov will join Artem Anisimov for Team Russia at the Canada/Russia Super Series beginning Aug. 27.

Alexei Cherepanov and Artem Anisimov headline the Russian team that will face Canada in an eight-game Canada/Russia Super Series this summer. Both prospects played on the Russian team that Canada defeated in the final of the 2007 World Junior Championship.

The Rangers selected the highly touted Cherepanov with the 17th overall selection in this year's draft. Playing in the Russian Super League, the winger set the record for goals by a rookie (18) in 2006-07 with Omsk, surpassing Pavel Bure. His 29 points as a 17-year-old are more than Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin, Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk scored in their first year in the Russian Super League.

Cherepanov was also named Top Forward at the 2007 World Junior Championships where he helped lead Russia to a silver medal, leading all scorers with eight points (five goals, three assists) and was also selected to the Tournament All-Star Team.

Selected in the second round, 54th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Anisimov notched two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 39 games playing as an 18-year old for Yaroslavl of the Russian Super League. The young center dominated against players his own age at the World Junior Championships, recording two goals and one assist for three points in six games.

Sergei Nemchinov, another Russian once drafted by the Rangers, will coach the Russian squad. Nemchinov spent six years as a Blueshirt and was a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup team.

The tournament for players under 20 begins Aug. 27 and will feature four games in Russia and four in Canada.